Apple's next major update for Mac is officially confirmed to arrive on Monday, September 15, and macOS Tahoe 26 is gearing up for a massive design overhaul with a bundle of new features.
Set to arrive on MacBook, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro and Mac Studio, macOS Tahoe will bring an all-new look with Liquid Glass, along with a handful of upgrades such as a new Spotlight Search, Live Activities on Mac, an improved Shortcuts app and many other features we're excited for.
The update for Macs will arrive with Apple's other updates, including iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26 and visionOS 26. Take note, this is the last major update for all Intel-based Macs, as Apple will move on to delivering its annual update only to Macs with Apple Silicon, its M-series chips.
Now that Apple has released macOS Tahoe 26 release notes, we have a full list of highlights to expect when the update arrives. We've already got a hands-on look at the big update thanks to the macOS Tahoe public beta (and we were impressed), but the full release will see the final version finally become available to Mac users.
To get prepared for what macOS Tahoe 26 delivers when it arrives, here's a look at how to install the update and all the new features you can expect.
How to download macOS Tahoe 26
macOS Tahoe 26 will be available on Monday, September 15, and we expect it to drop at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. BST, if past OS updates are anything to go by.
Once the big update is available, it's simple to download and install. Head to System Settings — either by clicking the settings cog in the Dock, or by clicking the Apple icon in the top left and selecting it.
From here, navigate the left side menu and select General, and then click Software Update.
macOS Tahoe 26: What to expect
We've noted all the major macOS Tahoe features coming to Macs with the update, and thanks to Apple's release notes (via MacRumors), we now have a finalized look at everything that's coming.
- Liquid Glass: This will be the boldest change in macOS. With the new design, you can expect a transparent menu bar, apps and toolbars to reflect and refract what you're viewing and a way to personalize icons and widgets. This allows you to change the way they look, whether it's with a light, dark, tinted or clear look.
- Choose your look for folders: You will be able to give different folders on your Mac a new look, whether it's with a unique color or with an emoji. That's great for organizing files.
- Customize Control Center: The Control Center can be changed to how you like it. That includes being able to customize which controls appear and adding new controls for your Mac or iPhone apps (including third-party apps), how they're laid out and arranging them to what suits best. Plus, you can place controls in the menu bar.
- Live Translation: Putting an emphasis on Apple Intelligence, Live Translation on Mac will now automatically translate text that's in other languages. This happens in Messages, FaceTime calls with live captions and audio transcriptions from the Phone app.
- Supercharged Shortcuts: The Shortcuts app is also getting the benefit of Apple Intelligence, being able to tap directly into AI models. Plus, shortcuts can be made to run automatically based on conditions, such as the time of day, file or folder updates, connecting to an external monitor and so on.
- Genmoji gets more options: Like playing around with emojis? Genmoji is also getting an update, and it includes more options like hairstyle customizations.
- More ways to play around in Image Playground: For some more image editing options, the updated Image Playground comes with new options like being able to change the expressions or hairstyle of people from your photo library. What's more, there are options for ChatGPT styles, like "Watercolor" or "Oil Painting," and you can describe the style you want to apply with "Any Style."
- Live Activities on Mac: This is another big bonus for Apple's Continuity feature across its devices. With Live Activities, you can now track activities from your Mac from the menu bar, like tracking a delivery from Uber Eats. It also allows you to open your chosen app in iPhone Mirroring.
- Fresh Phone app: The new Phone app for Mac will now let you take cellular calls from your iPhone, which needs to be close by. This also allows access to other features like Call Screening, Recents, Contacts and Voicemails, along with new options like Hold Assist and Live Translation.
- A focus on Messages: Along with being able to add a background to conversations and send polls to contacts in the Messages app on Mac, it also comes with new screening tools to filter out unknown numbers (which can be marked as known).
- Upgraded Spotlight: We're fans of the new Spotlight Search feature, as it can now search for virtually anything on the system, all in natural language. Moreover, it allows you to take actions right in Spotlight, such as sending messages, using a shortcut and more. Even better, Spotlight can automatically assign quick keys to actions, so you can enter a command to get things done faster.
- All-new Games app: Finally, the Apple Games app is a new way to access games instead of the usual App Store. It's a way to find out the latest updates and titles friends are playing. Think of it as a new hub purely for gaming on your Mac.
There you have it. These are all the new features coming to Mac thanks to macOS Tahoe 26, along with a few updates to fix minor bugs and issues.
For a better look at our favorite ways macOS Tahoe will improve productivity, we've got you covered. Once it finally arrives, stay tuned for more ways to make the most of Apple's next major Mac update.
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